Oct. 28 - He didn't appoint a special prosecutor to take over the JonBenet Ramsey investigation, but Gov. Bill Owens did point accusatory fingers - squarely in the direction of the girl's parents, John and Patsy Ramsey.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Owens revealed he believes more than one person was involved in the crime and said new evidence uncovered outside the 13-month grand jury investigation is being analyzed.

He also issued a challenge to John and Patsy Ramsey:

"Quit hiding behind your attorneys, quit hiding behind your public relations firm; come back to Colorado and work with us to find the killers in this case, no matter where that trail may lead,'' Owens said.

And Mike Kane, the veteran prosecutor who led the grand jury, said he's confident the trail has not grown cold and the case eventually will be solved.

The governor chastised the Ramseys for not being more cooperative with the investigation. Months after their 6-year-old daughter's beaten, strangled body was found in the basement of their home, the Ramseys moved from Boulder to the Atlanta area.

"While in our system they are innocent until proven guilty, as a parent, as a father of a youngster who is the same age as JonBene�t, I think that they could have and should have been more helpful than they have been,'' Owens said.

The Ramseys, who haven't spoken publicly about the case for more than a year, fired back at Owens.

"Mr. Owens' slanderous remarks pander to the fringe lynch mob which long ago cast aside the timehonored presumption of innocence,'' the Ramseys said in a statement released by their attorneys. "Coming from a public official elected to the highest office of this state, his comments are unconscionable.''

Owens' remarks came at a news conference where, as expected, he officially announced he would not seek a special prosecutor in the nearly 3-year-old murder case. But his comments, seemingly implicating the Ramseys, were unexpected.

John and Patsy Ramsey talked with police the day their daughter's body was found on Dec. 26, 1996, but after that were reluctant to be questioned. In June 1998, both parents, and their son, Burke, came to Colorado and were questioned by Boulder police and prosecutors over two days.

Asked later if he meant to imply that he believes the Ramseys killed their daughter, Owens' response was "no comment.''

But Owens did become the first official connected to the case to state publicly that more than one person could be a suspect. "There is reason to believe there is more than one person involved,'' he said.

According to the statement, Owens ignored an offer to meet with the Ramseys and refused to consult with detectives outside the Boulder Police Department who worked on the case. The Ramseys hired a private detective to investigate their daughter's death, and Lou Smit, a well-respected, retired Colorado Springs detective brought into the investigation by the Boulder DA's office, has said he believes the Ramseys didn't kill their daughter.

Owens assembled a team of seven legal experts to help him decide if a special prosecutor could advance the 34-month-old investigation. The team met with Boulder District Attorney Alex Hunter and his advisers, Boulder police and Colorado Bureau of Investigation officials over the past two weeks. In announcing his decision, Owens acknowledged that investigators made mistakes early, and said those blunders could make it difficult to win a conviction in the case. But the investigation was "reformed, and yes, even redeemed'' last summer when Hunter brought in three seasoned prosecutors to lead the grand jury investigation, Owens said.

Owens also revealed in his remarks that new evidence recently had been uncovered outside the grand jury investigation.

And echoing Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner and Hunter, the governor said the investigation is moving ahead. Appointing a state prosecutor now would hinder more than help the case, he said.

"The right people are now working on the Ramsey case, and they are working together as a team. And based on the evidence available to me, they are now targeting the right murder suspects,'' he said.

Owens also revealed "substantial new evidence is being analyzed and will continue to be analyzed.''

Investigators declined to reveal what that evidence might be; however, Beckner said last week that Boulder police are consulting with famed criminologist Dr. Henry Lee.

Hunter said in a prepared statement that Owens had told him of the decision Wednesday before the public announcement. Hunter said he "appreciated the thoroughness'' of Owens' review, and again emphasized that the investigation is continuing.

"Everything is in place in Boulder to continue this investigation. We have a dedicated team of detectives; Mike Kane remains under contract with my office, providing advice and legal counsel; and my prosecution task force will continue to advise me,'' Hunter said. "I remain confident that we have the very best team in place as we continue our work.''

Beckner said he was impressed with Owens' thorough consideration of the matter. "I think he made the right decision. Obviously we agree with it,'' Beckner said.

And he said he appreciated the governor's comments that the right people are now on the case. But he declined to comment on Owens' remarks that implied the Ramseys are suspects.

"I can't address that,'' Beckner said. "The governor can speak for himself. He certainly can draw his own conclusions.''

Former Boulder Detective Steve Thomas, who resigned in disgust last year and accused Hunter's office of crippling the investigation, said Wednesday he respects Owens' decision.

"But at the same time I can sense his frustration in the difficulty of probable cause vs. proving beyond a reasonable doubt,'' Thomas said. "But I was also encouraged by his commitment in seeing the killer brought to justice.''

While friction between Boulder's prosecutors and police early in the investigation became widely known, Owens said that is no longer a problem.

"I'm convinced the police and district attorney's office are working well together,'' he said.

Hunter's spokeswoman, Suzanne Laurion, said the DA's office agrees. Relations between the two departments got better as soon as Beckner - then a Boulder police commander in charge of the detective division - took over the police investigation.

Since then, "it has done nothing but get better,'' she said.

Staff writer Marilyn Robinson contributed to this report.

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